Qatar’s record against Iran is not something to boast about but there are a few reasons to be optimistic ahead of the challenging tie for Al Annabi.
The toughest tie in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers group has come for Qatar, with coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez admitting the match will be a tricky one to overcome.
As the Al Annabi prepare to take on Iran at Dubai’s Rashid Stadium on Tuesday, the Spaniard aims to build on their recent 3-1 victory against Kyrgyzstan, hoping the team’s renewed morale will help them secure a positive result.
Under Marquez Lopez’s leadership, Qatar previously defeated Team Melli 3-2 in the semi-finals of the 2023 Asian Cup, leveraging momentum after entering the tournament as underdogs.
This qualifying campaign has followed a similar trajectory, with Qatar expected to achieve more than just one win from three matches. Nevertheless, Marquez Lopez is focused on gradual improvement and thorough preparation to maximise their chances against Iran.
“There is no doubt that our win over Kyrgyzstan was a great moral boost,” the former Al Wakrah coach said on Monday. “We hope to build on to continue to perform with the same efficiency and get more points.”
Qatar created five big chances in the Kyrgyzstan tie last week to register 30 shots – more than their tallies against both UAE and North Korea in their two previous Asian Qualifiers games.
For a team that boasts an attack-heavy lineup, Qatar’s performance on the attacking side of things has been stellar, with the team scoring first in every match so far. However, defensive lapses cost them heavily in the first two games.
Facing Iran’s formidable attack, which includes Inter Milan’s Mehdi Taremi, Shabab Al Ahli’s Sardar Azmoun, and wingers Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Qatar’s experienced but somewhat uncertain defense will face a significant challenge.
Moreover, Qatar’s record against Iran does little to spark optimism. The sides have met on 17 occasions, with Qatar securing victory only four times and managing five draws.
Al Annabi have won just one World Cup qualifier against Iran dating back to 1997, yet under Marquez Lopez, Qatar have shown their capability of salvaging a victory against Iran.
“We know the strength of the Iranian team well,” Marquez Lopez said. “We have prepared to neutralise their attacking threats and our strategy is set to getting a satisfactory win out of this fixture.”
The return of the experienced duo of Boualem Khoukhi and Abdelkarim Hassan, both of whom started last week and put on stellar performances at the Al Thumama Stadium, also plays in Qatar’s favour.
Although winning against Iran seems difficult, the team has been drilled well to do so, according to Tarek Salman, another experienced player in Qatar’s backline.
“It will not be easy for either side,” he said in the pre-match press conference. “We are confident in our abilities – we will have to approach the match with a winning mentality to continue the streak.”
There will be plenty of other things to consider, however, going into this crucial tie for both teams.
Initially scheduled to be held at Imam Reza Stadium in Mashhad, the tie was shifted to the UAE by Asian football’s governing body citing regional escalation.
A neutral venue, despite the seats allocated for Iranian fans being reportedly sold out, should be good news for Qatar, but head coach Marquez Lopez said it will not be a key differentiator.
“At the end of the day, it is about eleven players on the pitch,” he told Doha News after the Kyrgyzstan game. “Whoever does well on the day gets the win, it is as simple as that and the away supporters do not concern us much.”
Akram Afif, Qatar’s man of the match on the night, agreed with the tactician.
“For us as players, we need to play the match, with no other considerations,” the Al Sadd forward said.
“We have to perform well to win, that’s the end of the point.”
